Hand truck



B. E. COOK Nov. 3, 1964 HAND TRUCK Filed March 8. 1963 Y FIG. 4.

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TTOE/VEYS United States Patent i O 3,155,256 HAND TRUCK Burton E. Cook, 21116 W. Texas St., Carlsbad, N. Mex. Filed Mar. 8, 1963, Ser. No. 263,998

s Claims. (ci. 214-371) This invention relates to a hand truck, and more specifically to a hand truck of the general type shown in my co-pending application Serial No. 177,014, now U.S. Patent No. 3,081,892, relating to a type of hand truck supplied with vacuum cups or the like, operated in response to load pressure.

The present invention employs a tubular framework, and has as one important objective the provision of novel means for selective location of a plurality of vacuum cups or the like at spaced locations on the frame.

Hand trucks of the type under consideration find particular utility in the movement of objects of substantial bulk from closely spaced relation to one another-such as in the handling of household appliances. For example, washing machines, kitchen ranges, and the like are of such size and weight as to render it necessary that apparatus be employed in the handling thereof. Despite the Weight and size of these objects, it is important that care be exercised in handling to prevent damage to the finish thereof. Access to the appliance is usually limited to one side thereof, because of the placementthereof in rows between other appliances in stores and homes. Binding means such as straps, sometimes associated with hand trucks, are useless in such situations due to the inaccessibility of the appliances. It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a hand truck adapted for the purpose of handling such appliances without danger of sidewise slippage during loading and unloading, having means to prevent damage to the finish of such articles, and being adapted for rest in transit with the appliance in either an upright position or a horizontal position spaced from the floor, as may be desirable for access in servicing of the appliance without damage thereto.

A further objective of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated which is non-complex in construction and assembly, and inexpensive to manufacture and sell.

Other and further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following specification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawing, in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of a hand truck constructed and assembled in accordance with the teachings of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, sectional View taken substantially along the section line 2--2 of FIGURE l, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, detailed `sectional View along the line 3 3 of FIGURE 2, looking in the direction of v the arrows; and

hand truck according to the present invention. The truck Y 11) comprises a frame 12 of elongate, open construction adjacent surface.

initial thrust suiciently to allow an opposite tilting caus- 3,155,256 Patented Nov 3, 1964 icc' upper end in an arcuate, tubular extension 26, preferably integral with the upper end portions 18, and a tubular handle member 28, also integrally formed, connects the extensions 26. As shown in FIGURE 2, and explained in further detail below, the handle 28 is located at a selected distance rearwardly of the frame 12.

Load handling means 30 is secured to the frame adjacent its lower end and projects forwardly thereof. The means 30 comprises an upright, substantially rectangular back plate 32 fixed by bolt means 34 to the lower ends 20 of the side members 14, 16, and a forwardly project ing, generally rectangular base plate 36 integrally connected to the lower edge of the back plate. A resilient pad 38 is secured to the forward surface 40 of the back plate by a suitable adhesive. As best seen in FIGURES 2 and 4, the base plate lower surface 44 is located in a plane below the lower ends of the side members 14, 16, and rests against the door or other supporting surface when the truck 11i is in its upright position.

A wheel mount brace 46 of open, tubular construction is fixed to the side of each side member 14 and 16 opA posite the side bearing the vload handling means, thereby to extend rearwardly of the frame, and each carries a bearing member 48. A cross axle 50 extends through the bearing members and has ground wheels 52 mounted thereon. It is important to note, particularly in FIGURE 2, that the wheels 52 extend rearwardly of the frame a maximum distance equal to that of the handle 28, whereby the loaded truck may be lowered to a desired horizontal position for servicing or repair of certain articles.

As seen in the drawing, the side members 14 and 16 and the lower cross member 24 have apertures 54 therein opening on the forward side of the frame 12. In the case of the cross member 24, a single, centrally located aperture is provided, while the side members have a Vertically spaced plurality thereof arranged in transversely aligned pairs. Each aperture 54 has a plug 56 force lit or otherwise fixed therein, the plugs having internally threaded bores 58. The plugs also preferably include shoulders 60 to positively prevent slippage thereof into the tubular members.

A plurality of load pressure responsive gripping means 62 is supplied, and each comprises a suction or vacuum cup having a cup portion 64, a hollow boss 66, and a release tip 68. A bolt, having an enlarged head 70 and threaded stern 72, is connected to the means 62 by fric tional engagement of the head 70 and a portion of the stem 72 in the boss 66 of each cup. The means 62 are thus relea-sably secured in the respective plugs 56, one gripping means being located on the cross member V24, and a pair thereof being located at a selected pair of the openings 54 adjacent the upper end 18 of each side member 14 and 16. i a

In operation, the truck 10 may be used to move an appliance A or other load, by merely tilting the appliance a suicient degree to force the Vbase plate 36 under one edge thereof and pressing the vacuum cups against the The cups grip the appliance on this ing the entire weight of the appliance to gravitate against the cups, thereby increasing the intensity of the gripping. The appliance A may then be moved `to its desired location. By virtue of the gripping ofthe cups and the rela tion of the base plate and wheels permitting the truck to be thrust under the tilted edge of the appliance in an upright position, a substantially straight movement ofthe appliance A into its desired,` location is made possibl`e with only a minimum degree of tilting. This enables the appliance to be precisely located in a line or row of appliances without danger of sidewise tilting against any other appliance in therow and consequent damage.

Having describedgand illustrated a preferred embodi-V What is claimed is: 1. A hand truck adapted for the handling of bulky items and for movement thereof in a manner to prevent sidewise tilting, the truck comprising:

(a) an open, elongated frame including a pair of Vertically disposed, tubular side members each having an upper end and a lower end and at least one cross member;

(b) a curvilinear extension secured to the upper end of each side member and extending rearwardly of the frame;

(c) a handle member located a selected distance rear.-

wardly of the frame and connecting the extensions to one another;

(d) load handling means secured to the side members and extending forwardly of the frame and including a back plate having a forward surface and a base plate extending below the frame;

(e) a resilient pad on the forward surface of the back member;

(f) Wheel mount braces extending rearwardly from the frame and secured to the side members adjacent their lower ends;

(g) ground wheels mounted in the wheel mount braces,

the Wheels extending rearwardly of the frame the sev (j) a plurality of vacuum cups, included threaded connection screw means, selectively located in the inserts, and operated in response to pressure.

2. A hand truck as defined in claim 1, wherein:

(u) at least two vacuum cups are positioned adjacent the upper ends of each side member; and

(b) at least one Vacuum cup is located on the cross member adjacent the lower ends of the side members.

3. A hand truck adapted for the handling of bulky items and for movement thereof in a manner to prevent sidewise tilting, the hand truck comprising:

(a) an open, elongated frame including a pair of side members and at least one 'cross member;

(b) handle means for the frame extending a selected distance rearwardly thereof;

(c) load handling means extending forwardly from the frame;

(d) ground wheels for the frame;

(e) the frame side members and cross member having apertures formed therein opening toward the forward side of the frame;

(f) inserts fixed in the apertures and having threaded bores therein; and

(g) a plurality of vacuum cups, including threaded connection screw means, selectively located in the inserts, operated in response to pressure.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,242,067 Harris May 14, 1941 3,075,662 Da Prato et al. Jan. 29, 1963 3,081,892 Cook Mar. 19, 1963 

1. A HAND TRUCK ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OF BULKY ITEMS AND FOR MOVEMENT THEREOF IN A MANNER TO PREVENT SIDEWISE TILTING, THE TRUCK COMPRISING: (A) AN OPEN, ELONGATED FRAME INCLUDING A PAIR OF VERTICALLY DISPOSED, TUBULAR SIDE MEMBERS EACH HAVING AN UPPER END AND A LOWER END AT LEAST ONE CROSS MEMBER; (B) A CURVILINEAR EXTENSION SECURED TO THE UPPER END OF EACH SIDE MEMBER AND EXTENDING REARWARDLY OF THE FRAME; (C) A HANDLE MEMBER LOCATED A SELECTED DISTANCE REARWARDLY OF THE FRAME AND CONNECTING THE EXTENSIONS TO ONE ANOTHER; (D) LOAD HANDLING MEANS SECURED TO THE SIDE MEMBERS AND EXTENDING FORWARDLY OF THE FRAME AND INCLUDING A BACK PLATE HAVING A FORWARD SURFACE AND A BASE PLATE EXTENDING BELOW THE FRAME; (E) A RESILIENT PAD ON THE FORWARD SURFACE OF THE BACK MEMBER; (F) WHEEL MOUNT BRACES EXTENDING REARWARDLY FROM THE FRAME AND SECURED TO THE SIDE MEMBERS ADJACENT THEIR LOWER ENDS; 